Being a Jehovah’s Witness is something that none of us consider. Contemporary Christian organizations clearly term this system of faith as apostate. However, that never stopped these three players from becoming Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Today, we will be trying to answer how many ex-NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses, once and for all. So you can stop searching ‘nba jehovah witness’, ‘ex nba jehovah witness’ or ‘nba player jehovah witness.’
So, this article will tell you exactly how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The World Of Jehova
Before delving deeper into how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses, we need to have a deep understanding of the belief. It will help us truly understand why and how many ex-NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Based on the teachings of prominent religious figures like Charles Taze Russel, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, and Nathan Homer Knorr.
While Charles Taze Russel was the founder of the Bible Study movement, Nathan Homer Knorr and Joseph Franklin Rutherford were two successive presidents of the Watch Tower Society. Therefore, this is an organization that is primarily Christian in nature but views it in an alternative way.
This alternative view of Christianity originated in Pittsburg during the early 1870s. Since then, the organization has grown significantly, with several members coming from quite influential backgrounds.
If we simplify the complex teachings of what Jehova’s Witness actually is. We have to see it from an objective perspective, free from any sort of inhibitions.
According to Jehovah’s Witnesses, The current world is under the absolute control of Satan. And that this reign of Satan will come to an end with an intervention of Jehova or God.
This intervention will be a direct intervention from god, brought forth by Jesus. It will be Jesus who will establish God’s reign over the earth and will do so by destroying all governmental bodies and non-witnesses or people who do not share the same view.
The System Of Beliefs:
Now that the basics are clear on most fronts, it is time that we see how a Jehova’s Witness will see certain concepts. This will provide us with a better understanding and will help us truly understand the nuances of the belief.
God
According to a Jehovah’s Witness, God, or in this case, Jehovah (Psalm 83:18; Revelation 4:11), is the one true creator. He is the highest authority, and disobeying him makes you a non-witness. Somebody who is bound to be destroyed.
Bible
According to Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Bible is the truest word of God and must never be questioned. Most people term the Jehovah’s Witnesses as fundamentalists, but according to JW.ORG, they are not fundamentalists.
According to the website, Jehovah’s Witnesses do agree and accept the whole bible, they do go the extra mile to identify which parts are figurative and which parts are symbolic.
Jesus
Jehovah’s Witnesses honor and respect Jesus as the true Savior and as the Son of God, as explained by Daniel 2:44; Matthew 6:9, 10. But according to Jehaovah’s Witnesses, Jesus will first destroy the established norms and rules established by humanity along with nonbelievers of the idea.
After that, he will help us redeem ourselves. Therefore, there is a heavy element of destruction and violence attached to the idea.
Ex-NBA Players Who Are Jehova’s Witness
Now that the basic concept behind the belief is clear. You are ready to get into the grind of things to know how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Over the last couple of years, many individuals with influencing capabilities joined Jehovah’s Witness. This recent influx of individuals is something that has popularised the system greatly and made it as big as it is today.
Not only sports but several other forays of the entertainment industry saw people switching over to the side of being Jehovah’s Witness. Some of the most prominent names include Michael Jackson, Prince, Janet Jackson, etc.
Therefore, it was a matter of time before we saw some stars of the sporting world would also find their ways of becoming a Witness. And today’s article is dedicated to those people. People who have found their way into being a Jehova’s Witness. Without further ado, let us dive right in!
Darren Collision
The first name that pops up whenever we discuss how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s Witnesses is Darren Collision. Collison’s career spanned from 2009 to 2019.
During this time, he was seen playing for the LA Lakers, Sacramento King, and Indiana Pacers. Collision averaged around 12.5 points with five assists during his stint in the NBA. The numbers were not to write home about, but he did establish himself as a worthy player.
Just as things were warming up for the player, Collision surprisingly announced his retirement, citing ‘religious reasons. This came as a surprising announcement to his fans.
Danny Granger
Hold your Danny Granger cousin Kieth jokes; we all know what that is. Let’s move on.
Another player who was one of the rising meteorites during his time in the league. He was mainly a Pacers player most of the time in the league. His NBA sting lasted from 2005 to 2015.
Unlike Collision, Granger grew up in a Jehovah’s Witness household and, therefore, was exposed to the lifestyle from an early age. His whole family is known to have strong faith in the teachings and understanding of the bible according to the doctrine of Jehova’s Witness.
Dewayne Dedmon
Deadmon played for several teams like the Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks.
Interestingly enough, Deadmon was one of the most memorable players during his stint in the NBA, but he did not start playing basketball till he was a senior in high school.
In fact, he was in his final year when he actually started playing. He had to go against his family and beliefs in order to pursue a career in football. But that did not change his perception of being a Jehovah’s Witness.
In an interview with Business Insiders, he clearly stated that his faith actually helped him to overcome the challenges of being a basketball athlete.
Bonus Section: Celebrities Who Are Jehovah’s Witness
Since we are already on the topic of ex-NBA players who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, I guess it will be only appropriate to look at celebrities from other walks of life as well. As a result, this bonus section will look at some of the most popular and prominent celebrities who are Jehovah’s Witnesses. Here we go.
Jill Scott
First up is the singer and performer Jill Scott. Scott was born into a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As a result, she maintains the stance that the religion found her and not the other way around. However, in a recent interview, she claimed that she does not practice the religion anymore.
The Wayans Family
Next up is not just one person but a whole family of celebrities. Like Scott, Wayans was born into a family of Witnesses. However, the Wayans do not share their religious beliefs publicly. As a result, not many are aware of this fact. Still, they are one of the most prominent families in Hollywood who follow the religion.
Terrence Howard
Fans of the Empire series would definitely remember Terrence Howard. Howard is a private man who likes to keep his life private. Still, sources suggest that he has become a Witness. Sources suggest that this was his wife’s influence. Howard’s current wife is raising their children according to the faith. Therefore, the Howard family might become the next Wayans.
Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace is easily one of the biggest names in the rap community. His rhymes dominated the charts back in the 90s. Many people do not know this, but Biggie was raised as one of the witnesses by his mother, Voletta Wallace. As a result, Biggie adopted the principles of the religion from an early age.
Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Shepherd is easily one of the most talented actresses of all time. This African-American actress has worked alongside big names in Hollywood and has become a prominent figure. She was also raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. However, she chose to part way with it a while back.
Serena Williams
The tennis community is incomplete without Serena Williams. Serena is one of the biggest stars of the sport. She, along with her sister, has become one of the best athletes in the sport. Both sisters were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses and continue to practice the religion to this day.
The Jackson Family
The Jackson family was one of the most famous families in America. The children of this family literally grew up in front of the whole of America. The Jacksons were devout Jehovah’s Witnesses. However, most members broke away from the religion and started on their own journey, including Janet.
Marc John Jeffries
Marc John Jefferies is a renowned face in Hollywood. He was successfully a part of several films like Losing Isisah, Notorious, etc. According to sources, Marc was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. However, sources suggest that he has moved away from religion.
Concluding Thought
There you have it, we have reached the very end of our article discussing ‘how many ex NBA players are Jehovah’s witnesses’.
These were some of the most notable names who are staunch believers of the proponents set by the Jehovah’s Witness. Every name listed in this list is a prominent name in basketball that has achieved a lot in the sport.
Still, they are true to their faith and will not let anybody come between them and their faith.
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